An Eighth Grade Test From 1912

Lessons from history… A copy of the Eighth Grade Exam for Bullitt County Schools in 1912 was donated to the Bullit County Museum in Kentucky. The questions within the exam of 100 years ago (for 8th-graders) illustrate the dumbing down (by comparison) of today’s American education system.

I read this quote recently, and agree with it:“Now with the ‘common core’ epidemic we can see our youth transformed by a cookie cut education system and a near total loss of critical and independent thinking.”

For your interest, here’s the test:

(Then provide your opinion about how and why we’ve seemingly lost our quality of education (generically) and/or what has changed in the system or our young people or their ‘training’)

Is this part of the reason for systemic collapse that so many are preparing for?

So, what do you think? How does this compare with today’s 8-th graders in general?

While times have changed… does this 100 year old test illustrate a fundamental change?

39 Comments

Peanut Gallery
on 07/16/2015 at 11:12 AM

I think if this test were given to high school seniors today, I bet 90% of them fail. This is probably closer to college level by todays standards.

I understand why parents try to get their children into private schools today. As a former Catholic School attendant until 8th grade, I saw the differences when I was sent to a public high school. The math that I had been taught in 4th grade, was identical to the math that they taught in 9th grade public schools, which I aced because I already knew it.

I live in Canada ( I’m grade 8) I knew the history one (war of 1812) and the Math I knew all of them but two. Also it is quite insulting that some guy put that comment about there being no Lol’s in the test. I also got the physiology one to. The U.S stuff I don’t know but yah. Also whoever said that people don’t know this stuff is correct. 1/2 of the people in my school spend ALL DAY on snap chat. And one of them can’t read. LOL.

Our education system in the US is more of a business than it is about teaching. And, that especially goes for colleges. Sure, there’s some good educators across the various K-12 systems. But, budgets, fiscal responsibility, and political correctness have taken over.

Good educators are being run out of schools for younger, more appealing teachers. It’s no wonder we have so many more sex scandals with young teachers today. Heard about a new one just other day two districts away from us. News media sure love it, though…

We have two children in school right now and that basically means my wife and I are re-learning everything with our kids. When we moved a few years back, we specifically chose a district that was top 10 in our state, yet rural enough that would allow us to live the lifestyle away from the city we desired.

All that aside, I’m all for a quality education , but my wife and I are teaching our children outside school learning to be lifelong readers and have a sense of curiosity that instills a life full of learning.

Accountability as a parent is really what it comes down to, no matter what kind of school a child is attending or learning out of…

no joke: I can see they view you as a threat – you teach voluntarily – the Unions see that as threat their control of teachers and their union dues. The parent who questioned their child not being able to pass the entrance exam – probably first time that parent really showed a hoot about the kid…..school says nothing, child says nothing – parents are totally accepting that position that everything is alright. As for the sports aspect, if your school has a strong sports program – the school makes money in gate revenue, and everything else……not to mention college scouts who come by – probably with some contribution when they are looking hard at a youngster with talent. I do believe oftentimes that some jock is carried thru school, and then college, because of his/her ability to play whatever. As for the test, wow! There are a ton of teachers who truly care, but the system and the principle follow liberal guidelines.

There’s no doubt in my mind about the deliberate dumbing down of America. I watched an interview with Chalrotte Iserbyt. She uncovered a plan to dumb down education in America when she was serving in the U.S. Department of Education under the Reagan administration. She was board with nothing to do in this position and had lots of time to simply go through the files and read what was already in the files in the U.S. Department of Education. This is when she discovered the plan.

She went on to write a well researched book called “The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America”. You can download a free PDF copy from her web site at http://deliberatedumbingdown.com/. It is over 700 pages. She has really done her homework to back up her claims with facts and research.

According to Ms. Iserbyt, the conspiracy to dumb down the population has been in play since the 1930’s at least. The strategy is to cause the population to accept a global socialistic government.

Kids today are not being taught to think for themselves. They are being taught what to think. Therein lies the crux of many of our current problems in America.

This problem will take a long time to fix. The first step is to recognize the problem.

Don’t focus on a particular test. In general our education system has been dumbed down and there are a lot of things we could do to make it better. But the teachers do in fact teach what will be tested and they do it now and did it in 1912. We need more basic reading writing and rithmatic and we need to bring facts and honesty back to the subjects of history and social studies.

A simple solution: Make each school independent from the unions and the state. Put the principal in charge including hiring and firing. Allow the citizens in that schools district to hold the principal responsible for results. Support the principal and their decisions including the dicision to expel disruptive students.

We teach history as it was,,, not how the leftists want to re-write it.

Case in point: The current school system teaches that the Pilgrims came to America and the Indians saved their lives (of course we killed them for their efforts and danced on their graves).

Truth is the Pilgrims actually attempted Socialism when they first arrived. Equal portions of land were provided all families. The bounty of those properties were to be placed in a common store which would be equally distributed amongst the people.

Problem was, some families busted their butts providing the store,,,, and others did little and demanded their share.

It was eventually decided that people could keep what they produced and barter for things they needed.

Free Market society was born, and we eventually became the United States of America.

I found most high schools to be glorified daycares. I had to go too school often just to ask the teachers why they where not challenging the children under my care, i did not want them to accept average, teachers would get upset I wanted them to work a little harder. By the way I barely made it through high school because no one pushed me and when I went to comunity college the remdial class’ where hard. One economics proffesor saw my desire to learn and told me as long as I was asking questions, listening and surrounding myself with smart people I would be ok. I dropped out of college to care for my sick grandparents and I can not answer any of those test questians but my wife and several friends can answer most of them. I say this to point out that a good education includes who you associate with.

As an elementary educator, I’d like to express my opinion. This is a bit long, but so much shorter than what I’d like to write. Why can so few of our eighth graders pass this test? Here are a few reasons:

What students are expected to know has changed greatly over the years. While an education used to be centered on knowing facts, it is now focused more on knowing how to find the facts. The amount of knowledge in the world is growing exponentially, and schools must spend time teaching students how to determine the best way to find their answers.

That being said, certain things must simply be taught, and too often they aren’t. Grammar and handwriting are often skipped. I was told not to teach social studies or science at my failing school, because it takes away from reading writing, and arithmetic, in which we need much improvement. Because we all know that it is best to understand WHY something works than just be taught that it works, it is now taken to the extreme. I am being told that I shouldn’t have my second-graders use flash cards and memorize their addition and subtraction facts; they should instead “know” each fact by being exposed to how those numbers (in dots, beads, or other manipulatives) look together. Some of the lessons in the books (that I am told I MUST follow), are so convoluted that they confuse adults, much less children.

I used to be able to teach my own way twenty years ago, as long as I taught all of the objectives and got good results. Nowadays, I’m told not to deviate from the set curriculum, even if the students don’t learn as much. I’m even being told not to read aloud to my students, because it takes away from their reading time. (Don’t even get me started on this, as I could go on and on about the benefits of reading aloud to the class.) Do I still spend some time talking about history, geography, and such? Yes, but whenever my principal walks in, I get taken to task for “wasting” my teaching time.

While a certain amount of the blame can be placed on the curriculum and ways we are being forced to teach, a lot of the problem is disruptive students. A teacher’s basic classroom discipline may be fine, but when she has to spend much of her time dealing with a few disruptive students, it is no wonder that not as much is taught to the rest of the class. I don’t believe that students who misbehaved in 1912 were kept in the classroom–if they even attended school in the first place!

Even students who aren’t disruptive aren’t necessarily getting the help they need at home. The schools are expected to teach the children everything they need to know–scary thought, both as a teacher and a parent! Most of my students’ parents don’t read to them, don’t check over their homework, and don’t even make sure that they have enough sleep and something to eat before they come to school. I have to teach not just the curriculum, but how to resolve conflicts, how to act in a respectful manner towards peers and adults, how to wash hands, tie shoes, eat with their mouths closed, and refrain from picking noses. There simply aren’t enough hours in a school day. No, I’m not interested in making the day longer, but it would be nice if all parents stepped up to do their part. Many parents don’t even know basic facts, which doesn’t help. I mentioned to one of my parents last fall that her son really needed to work on his addition facts, as he still counted on his fingers. She replied that it didn’t surprise her, since she still counts on hers!

Part of this, of course, is the breakdown of the family. When there is only one parent in the home or when both parents work, it is difficult to find the energy to work with their children the way they should.

Very few teachers that I know are bad teachers. At least at the elementary level, most of us spend much money on supplies and many hours every week on our jobs. I know that I almost always worked sixty-hour weeks this past year, and I have spent a lot of time this summer in teacher inservice and working in my classroom. (All this for $34,400!) We are in this profession because we love kids and helping them learn. Unfortunately, the poor pay, long hours, little respect, and insane expectations in the way of documentation are pushing even the most dedicated of us into leaving for other careers.

“What’s not to like about a 9 month work year, all time off students get and a never ending cacophony of more money, more money.”

This irritates me to no end. I taught vocational courses at a local high school and am confused by what you mean by a 9 month work year. My summers “off” were spent repairing what broke, preventative maintenance on what didn’t break, gathering/purchasing/prepping the raw materials for the next year’s classes. 95 degree summer days and I’m in the shop melting down aluminum engine blocks for my sand casting units. I also was never alone as other teachers were in the building as well. More money????? I spent a lot of time writing grant applications and visiting local businesses to maintain relationships that resulted in free/reduced cost materials and software upgrades for the drafting classes. Days students got off during the year were spent grading projects or teacher workshops; but I’m supposed to feel bad because I only work 9 months and just have bags of money sitting around….

I was a teacher as well. Schools begged me to come and substitute for them. Rules for teachers in the classroom have become an absolute nightmare to follow. Teachers get blamed for everything when administrators/school board members/state education departments come up with the most insane policies.

Think what schools are pumping out now is bad? Just wait until common core has been instituted for a couple of years. The functionally illiterate applicant will be the better qualified candidate for the job. And yes…..some will become your children’s and grandchildren’s teachers. 🙂

This is an excellent thought provoking article which frustrated me to no end.

I know for example that we spend (per capita) more than the rest of the developed world and fall well down on the list (lets say ‘bang for our buck).

I also know that there was a push decades ago (maybe the Wilson presidency) that it was decided that education should be designed to produce (brain dead)factory workers.

Since the 60’s generation took over ‘Common Core’ is at the forefront which is nothing more than a total indoctrination process.

The increased $ demanded by the left has nothing to do with our children. It is a scheme to launder money through the teachers unions back to the leftists in union dues.

This whole thing is an intrigue scheme to transcend our American exceptionalism’ to the ashes. Then the leftists can become rich,,,, all for the good of the people ‘don’t you know’.

For the uniformed, US exceptionalism is not a statement of arrogance (as many believe). It’s a statement regarding America, and it’s standing in the world where people are free to pursue happiness without government overseers and red tape. (WE are the exception to how people live throughout the world)

ok ok 2 years, the point is, it takes more that good teachers, good schools, good parents, money, it takes a child that wants to learn, that is open to seeing the world without it being in a game or on a computer screen, that is motivated to achieve. The world has changed, it’s not 1912. We as a people, the entire race, has changed. We are soft and lazy, for what we call technology, advancement. Our brains have turned to mush and our bodies have become fat and unhealthy. Look around see what the world has become, sad indeed. There is a change coming, prepare.
NRP

I do believe the government has required today and as recent as the 30’s (FDR) for kids to be socialists, and dependent on government and new technologies.

Heck, I remember when adults said to their children, “we work hard so you won’t have to when you grow up”. So now their kids are on food stamps, welfare, and social programs, depend on social media and MSM and they don’t have to work as hard as their parents did and don’t have to be as smart, to boot!

HAHAHA, you brought back a sad but funny fact, When the US was trying to find a “pen” that would write in space, “we” spent millions and millions of OUR tax money trying to develop it (pen). Guess what Russia came up with……. That right, a pencil. Gata just LOVE the USA government ran agencies.
NRP

In 1912, how many people remained in school past elementary education? My Grandparents (and most people in 1912) were considered extremely lucky to have even a 4th grade education. All that was needed for “real life” was simple arithmetic and writing a poorly spelled letter. It seems that in 1912, people who were in 8th grade were the affluent and nothing less than passing this test was expected of them. Otherwise you were expected to do hard labor.

These are all thought provoking responses. I have a 5 year old and a 14 month old and I want them to WANT to learn. When I was a kid I just wanted to play. I suffered through school although I really liked History class. Even though I was not good at the test I enjoyed the class. . When I was in elementary school my parents got us an Encyclopedia set. At the time I didnt like it but it did help with finishing assignments. I want more for my kids (as a majority of parents do) and hopefully I can use the web to do that (a great tool). Any great ideas to help with this? I am thinking of a weekly subject for all of us (age appropriate) to study up on and then teach the family on the subject at the end. Maybe monthly instead. Right now I am trying to keep up on my sons preschool for the summer by doing a letters and numbers book. Although I find myself skirting the task too much. Shame on me.

We began homschooling our son when he was 5. There is an overwealming amount of resources for homeschooling. You just have to know where to look. There is a book called “100 Top Pics for Homeschool Curriculum Reviews”. It was put together by a homeschool mom to help people to compare curricula and make the best choice for thier particular needs/desires.

Also helpful is the community of homeschool families in our area. They are always having get-togethers and special educational opportunities to help suppliment what we are doing at home. They also help answer many of our questions. The homeschool communities in our area are faith-based, i.e. Christian. This is what we want, because we want our children to grow up with Biblical values, and a Biblical worldview, untainted by the world system.

Our son is now 13. He was able to excell academically this year partly because our family made a choice to live without TV.

Reading stories as a family has also helped us through the years. Our son has developed a love of reading. If families could simply trade TV for reading books together, it would make a big difference, in my opinion.

Phil’s answer on homeschooling is great. If you want, you can go the homeschool route or simply use some of the homeschool materials to supplement the public school curriculum. Doing the letters and numbers book is a good start. A weekly or monthly topic to study is great, too, although your kids are a little young to find the info on their own. You can look up information together, and then maybe even have a field trip at the end. For example, if you’re studying birds, you could go to a place where you could observe them with binoculars. Binoculars by themselves are usually a huge treat for youngsters, and what better way for them to learn how to use them? Or you can have them figure out a way to teach someone else what they know…maybe perform a made-up song about the topic to each other, or relatives, or next-door neighbors, or ….??? Take a week to study the flag (what the parts mean, how it’s changed over the years, etc.), and then make a cake decorated like a flag for dessert at the end of the week.

I have always felt that kids learn best when it is for real-world situations. For instance, have your kids write letters to their grandparents or other relatives. My son always had to write a thank-you card for every birthday and Christmas gift before he could use the gift. Sending postcards and letters at other times of the year makes perfect sense, as well. This is great practice for handwriting, punctuation, grammar, and, of course, social skills. Take trips to the zoo or the pet store, reading the information about each animal and noticing the small things about the animals. (What color is the giraffe’s tongue? How does the snake’s coloring help him blend in to the leaves?) Go to the library and check out books to read (for fun and for information), and read to your kids multiple times a day. Read the signs as you go down the street. Have your kids help you cook, measuring ingredients, reading a recipe, etc. Show them how you determine what the best deal is at the grocery store. As you’re restocking your kitchen cabinets from your stocked “store” at home, have them count to see how many more of each item you need. Walk down the street and point out things you notice. (Are the leaves changing? Can you read that house number? What color are those flowers? Why do you think the grass is growing there?) Give them tons of information about everything, and give them lots of time to ask questions. If you don’t know the answer, say so, and then go home and look it up together!

My son has never really liked school, although he is smart. He always looked forward to “summer school” at home, though. In our summer school, we studied things that he was nowhere close to studying in “real” school, but that he was interested in. I remember that the summer after kindergarten we studied the layers of the earth and land formations–something that the public schools didn’t cover until late elementary. Since it was “school,” he had to do work, such as drawing the layers and the landforms, but the work never took a long time, and, like I said, it was something he was interested in, so he thought it was fun. Now that he is in high school, things are a little different. This summer, he and I took a geology class at a community college together–not one of my top interests, but one of his. It was a wonderful experience for both of us.

Taking the steps to help your children learn is so important. You say that you don’t always make the time to do it, and I’d like to encourage you to do so. YOU are the number one teacher your kids will ever have. They watch you every day and learn from your example. You can be great at this!

I’m currently a high school student and if I was given this test I could pass it if I had enough time. Like maybe a class period or so. It’s not difficult. Especially the math? I don’t even need a calculator. Just some paper and a pen.

You adults like to measure our intelligence by giving us questions like this on the spot and no time to think it over. And then call us stupid for not answering in 10 seconds. We aren’t stupid. We just need time to think just like you do.

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